The Self-Employment Assistance (SEA) Program

Self-employment is one potential pathway to exit a spell of unemployment. The regular
Unemployment Compensation (UC) program generally requires unemployed workers to be
actively seeking work and to be available for wage and salary jobs as a condition of eligibility for
UC benefits. These requirements constitute a barrier to self-employment and small business
creation for unemployed workers who need income support. The Self-Employment Assistance
(SEA) program, however, provides an avenue for combining income support during periods of
unemployment with activities related to starting one's own business.